Police are blaming a faulty exhaust system for the deaths of three people found in a parked car near Conklin last week.

According to Wood Buffalo RCMP, a mechanical investigation showed the exhaust component may have caused exhaust to enter the vehicle's cabin. The make and model of the vehicle has yet to be released and it is unknown if this was an ongoing problem.

Police say that on Jan. 9, the bodies of two women and one man was found at the Laguna Access Road at 12:25 p.m. near Conklin, 154 kilometres south of Fort McMurray.

Friends and family members of the three people say they were told the deaths were caused by carbon monoxide poisoning.

Peterson and Dave-Lawrence were employees of Karen's Restaurant and Lounge, a diner at the corner of Highway 881 and Northland Drive on the outskirts of Conklin.

“It is a silent killer. The public should be educated on what it can do when you leave your car running, especially if you have an older car or a known exhaust leak,” said Megan Kind, a friend of Dave-Lawrence and Peterson, during an interview last week.

“It could happen to anybody,” said Jonathan Cardinal, a friend of Lavallee. “There are a lot of people that spend time in their vehicles.”

The three deaths follow those of two teens in Drayton Valley on Dec. 21, who died from carbon monoxide poisoning that may have been caused by a faulty exhaust system component that allowed fumes to enter the car’s cabin.